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J. HEHBENEH.' FLAG AND METHOD 0F PHDUCl-NG THE SAME. APPLICATION FILED APR. I0, 1920.

1,372,508, Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN rr. nnnnnnnn, or `ivo-Bronx,` VIRG1N1A- FLAG AND METHOD OF PRODGING- THE SAJIE.V

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Be itlmown that I, loi-IN l-l. HERBENER, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Nortollr, and State oli Virginia, have invented certain new and useful `improvements in Flags and Methods of .Producing the Same, ci which the fol* lowing is a specilicaton.

My invention relates to improvements 1n flags, and to a method of producing the saine. l

An important object of the invention is to provide simple means for i preventing the 'tree end of the flag being torn or injured, in use, thereby prolonging the life of the flag.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for dispensing with the usual hein at the free end of the flag, and vleavlng this free end raw, such means permitting of a retarded unraveling of suchifree end, `whereby the wool 1s gradually removed,

and the projecting ends of the warp cut or worn, so that the ends of thewarp are substantially even, when the next retarding stitch is reaclie i y A. further object of the invention 1s to provide means of the above mentioned character, which reduces the weight atthe free end of the flag, thereby eiil'ecting an corresponding reduction in the whipping. or cracking action of the flag, when lflown 1n a high wind. y

A. further object of the invention is to provide a method of constructing a flagof assembled elements oi different colors, with retarding. stitches of corresponding c olors formed upon the elements prior to the1r as-` scmblage, which method is adapted to slmplify and cheapen the production of the tla i' lglther objects and advantages ofthe in vention will be apparent during the course `of the following description. c

`Inthe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, i

Figure l is a side elevation of a flag ein bodyiiig my invention, i l

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of an unrolled bolt of` cloth, showing the method of providingthe retarding stitchings, prior to cutting the same into the longitudinal elements or stripes.,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a plurality tot Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Manca, 14921.

e Application led Aprll, 1920. Serial No. 372,930.

longitudinal elements or stripes, with the 1Letlgrding stitches, cut from the unrolled lfig. Ll is an enlarged detail section taken on .line Ll4t of Fig. l, Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner ot the operation of the retailing stitchings and associated elements, an

Fig. 6 is a side elevation ol a different form of flag embodying my invention.

ils is well known, the ordinary flag, such asis used upon a battleship, has its free end provided with a hem, formed by foldino the material ot' the flag upon itself, and stitching thefolded portions together. This hem, increases the weight of suoli 'free end, whereby the 'flag tears at or near the line of stitching, when flown in a still or high wind. It 4frequently happens, that the ordinary flag, tears itself in one day, in a strong wind. These flags are ordinarily repaired every tew weeks. The hem at the free' end of the flag, is provided to prevent raveling of the saine, but the added weight of the hem causes the flag to tear, near the stitching of the hem, as above indicated.

I have discovered that the free end of the flag may be left raw, by which is meant that this end is not heinmed or bound, and by the provision of suitable retarding stitching, such tree end will unravel very slowly, the` woof threads in advance of the next retarding stitching being gradually removed, and the tree ends ol. the warp threads, being gradually and uniformly worn orcut down, whereby the free end is substantially straight, when the next retarding stitching is reached. This retarding stitching retards the unraveling of the Woof threads behind it, and` is itself removed by the wind, when the warp threads are cut or worn down close to the same. The unraveling or removal of the woof threads in advance of the retarding stitching is greatly retarded due to the fact that the, free end of the Hag is light, as it has no added weight due to a hem. `The absence of this weight dispenses, to a considcrable extent, with the cracking or whipping action of the flag, which is one of the principal causes of the hemmed flag being torn, at the stitching. y y

In the` drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are` shown preferred `embodimentsiof my invention,` the numeral 10 designates a flag Vas a whole, which for the purpose of illustration` is a-United States flag.

The numeral 12 designates the red stripes, and 13 the white stripes, formed of suitable cloth. These stripes are sewed together by felling or otherwise, as shown at 14s in Fig. 4e. VThe felling consists of arranging the edges of the stripes in interiitting relation, and stitching the same at 15. The numeral .16 designates the blue iieldof the flag, having-,the stars 17 sewedtherein. This eld is secured to the stripes, by sewing or felling, as is well known. Y

"My invention resides particularly7 in the provision of means for preventing the free end of the from being torn or injured, whenilying in a stiif or highl wind, and with this object in view, such free end is left raw, that is rto say, it is not hemmed or bound.V The free end portion of the flag is provided with a plurality of transverse re-A tarding stitchings 18, sewed upon or within 4thesame.'` The outermost stitching is slut- 'fa'bly'spaced from the end of the Hag, and

the stitchings are spaced from each other, preferably equa-distantly spaced, for onehalf to three-fourths of an inch, but this distance and arrangementmay be varied, if desired. i

It is desirable to have the retardingstitchings of the corresponding or same color as the stripes upon which they are applied. In constructing the iag I have provided a methodof forming the stitchings upon the stripes in corresponding colors, which method greatlysimplilies and reduces the cost `vofvproduetion. In accordance with this method, I take a bolt or section of cloth 12, which would be red for forming the red stripes, and sew or stitch the same transversely, at spaced intervals, depending upon thelength of the stripes desired, for provid- ,ing the setsA of spaced retarding stitehings 18. One section of the cloth may now be Vout transversely at its left end from the bolt,fsu ch line of .cutting being suitably spaced from the outermost stitching 18. This section, as clearly .shown in Fig. 3, is cut longitudinallyV into the stripes-12, and these stripes are thereby provided with the s titchings 18, in `this instance, the stitchings ,being red, beforefthe `stripes are assembled, andsecured together. It is obvious that the wliite stripes are formed by first transversely stitching the white cloth with white thread, and subsequently cutting the white cloth intoithe stripes, which are assembled and connected lwith-the red stripes.

' The invention is in no sense restricted to theuse of a flag, the free end of which is Y formed of a plurality of connected elements `or stripes, but may .be embodied in a iiag, theffree Vend .portion .of which is formed of a snigleseotion ,of cloth. In Fig. .6 I have warp threads would project outwardly beshown a Hag formed of a single section of. cloth 19, having its free end provided with the retarding stitchings 18, which are continuous throughout its entire width.

The operation of the device may be more readily understood by a consideration of Fig. 5, which may be regarded as showing somewhat diagrammatically the free end portion of the Hag, or one stripe thereof. In Fig. the numeral 2() designates the warp threads and 18 the retarding stitchings. while 21 designates the woof threads. It may be assumed that the outermost retarding stitching 18, shown in dotted lines has been removed by the action of the wind, and the successive woof threads similarly rcmoved. As the free end of the Hag is freed from the weight of the hem, the whipping or cracking action of such free end, is largely overcome, and the removal of the woot si, threads 21 will be accomplished very slowly. I have found in actual practice that the woef threads between two of the retarding stitchings 18, which were spaced apart for about one-half an inch, were not entirely removed in a period of three months, within which time the flag was iiown in high winds. As the woof threads are thus gradually removed it would seem that the ends of the yond the saine in the form of an irregular fringe, but this is not the case. There is a short fringe produced as each woof thread is removed, but this fringe is found to be of a substantially uniform length, and the fringe continuously but imperceptibly wears away, and is thus shortened with the removal of the woof threads. The fringe is therefore kept short, and by the time the next reta-rding stitching is reached, there is only a short fringe of a substantially uniform length throughout, which is not perceptible when the flag is in use;

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape,

size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to in the construction of the iiag, and

that various changes in the order of the steps of thel method may be made, and certain steps omitted, without departing from the spirit of my invention. or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described' in v invention. I claim l 1. A flag of the character described having its free edge raw and provided near such raw edge with retarding stitching means.

2. A iiag of the character described'having its freeend raw and provided near such raw end with a plurality of spaced retarding stitchings.

3. A Hag having its outer portion formed .of a plurality .ofconnected diferent colored elements, said outer portion having its free end raw, and transverse retarding stitchings formed upon such outer portion, the portions of the stitchings upon each element being of a corresponding color.

4^.. A flag having .its outer portion formed o connected stripes of different colors, each stripe having its free end raw, and spaced transverse retarding stitchings formed upon each. stripeV near its` raw end and being of a corresponding color to that of the stripe.

The herein-described method of producing a flag embodying assembled elements of different colors, Which consists in form ing a plurality of transverse stitches upon a section of cloth of a selected color With the stitches of a corresponding color, then cutting the section longitudinally into elements, and assembling the elements thus produced With other elements. u

6. The herein-described method of producing a flag embodying assembled elements of `different colors, which consists in forming transverse retarding stitehings upon each element with the stitehings of a corresponding color to the element, and assembling the elements.

7. The herein-described method oi producing a flag embodying assembled elements oi different colors, which consists in providing each element at its tree end with, a raw edge, forming a plurality of retarding stitchings upon each element near its raw edge, such stitchings corresponding in color to that of the element, and asseu'lbling and con necting such elements. i

8. The hereindescribed method o i' producing a flag embodying assembled elementsl of different colors, Whichconsists in forming sttchings upon a section of cloth of a selected color With the stitching of a corresponding color, cutting the cloth into elements, and assembling the elements `thus produced with other elements produced in a similar manner.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN H. HERBENER. 

